Save the Pawikan!

     In our last post, we talked about our trip to the PCC and about sea turtles, or in Filipino, pawikan. Sadly, these lovable creatures are slowly decreasing in number, and do you know who's causing this decline? MAN. Yes, WE. ARE. RESPONSIBLE.

     Now, you may think, "What's the big deal? They're just sea turtles anyway. And besides, what have they ever done for us?" True, these small creatures may seem unimportant, but to other organisms of the marine ecosystem, these sea turtles do a mighty lot.

     For example, green sea turtles eat sea grass. Sea grass has to be kept short in order for it to remain healthy. A number of marine organisms depend on sea grass beds because it is used for developmental and breeding grounds. Without green sea turtles, sea grass beds would become less healthy, meaning less and less breeding grounds for other marine wildlife - ergo, less and less marine wildlife altogether!

Green sea turtles munching on seagrass

     Some of us may not know we are causing harm to these turtles - but that's only because most of us do it indirectly. How, you may wonder? Through global warming. Global warming is the thinning of the ozone layer. Global warming is one of the reasons why we have very unpredictable weather. When the ozone layer thins, ice caps also melt. When they melt, they'd turn into water, which could result in overflowing and floods.

     And why are we responsible for global warming? It's the little things we do -- littering, riding smoke-belching cars, smoking and many other activities contribute to the slow destruction of our world.

     And how about our poor little pawikan? When people litter on beaches, sea turtles lose more and more of their initial grounds for laying eggs. Thus, they cannot breed anymore, and the population of sea turtles slowly decreases. But how about the ones living in the ocean already, all grown up? Well, due to the effects of cyanide and dynamite fishing, these poor animals no longer have a home. Furthermore, other big fish like sharks lose their initial food source. What do they end up eating?  Sea turtles! Don't you feel at least a little pang of guilt from this?

     As students, we may not be able to make radical global changes, yet we can certainly do our share in protecting our sea turtles. After all, to complete a puzzle, even the smallest piece matters. One thing we can do, for instance, is refrain from littering near the beach. Sea turtles, who eat jellyfish, might mistake the plastic we throw into the water for a jellyfish. Plastic, when swallowed, cannot be digested, eventually killing the turtle. Another valuable action is to report anyone abusing these animals. If you find a pawikan, you can bring it to the conservation center or set it free as well. Do not keep sea turtles as pets. If you know anyone who sells sea turtles, report them to:

Bantay Pawikan Inc.

Nida: +63.928.7185721 / Manolo: +63.906.6155546 

bantay_pawikan@yahoo.com

     However, the most important thing one can do to save the pawikan? SPREAD THE WORD! Let everyone know about the importance of keeping these sea turtles alive, be it through personal encounters or through the Internet (like now!). Encourage people to take part in saving sea turtles! Remember, it all starts with YOU.